THE MINDFUL HEART FRED MAY

"And on some have compassion, making a distinction; " Jude 1:22 (NKJV)

"And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight [that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment], Philippians 1:9-10 (AMP)

So that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences], and that you may be untainted and pure and unerring Philippians 1:9-10 (AMP)

and blameless [so that with hearts sincere and certain and unsullied, you may approach] the day of Christ [not stumbling nor causing others to stumble]." Philippians 1:9-10 (AMP)

"So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. Philippians 1:9-10 (MSG)

You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. " Philippians 1:9-10 (MSG)

BIBLICAL COMPASSION

the literal Biblical understanding of compassion: a person feeling viscerally impacted in a most pronounced, yet tender way toward another person or persons.

[SPHLANCHNIDZOMAI] to find oneself so deeply inclined toward someone in sympathy and empathy so as to feel inexorably moved to come to their aid, even to the point of personal sacrifice.

Compassion is to feel oneself strongly moved to show another person unsolicited kindness that is both generous and selfless. Christ demonstrated its deeper meaning eloquently:

"But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd." Matthew 9:36 (ASV) Godly compassion gets triggered when the Holy Spirit enjoys full control of one's sanctified 'eye gate

Compassion opens up one's spiritual eyes to see beyond the immediate and into the realm of the unseen.

Through the eyes of compassion Christ could foresee great danger looming large in the future of the rebellious city of Jerusalem, causing Him to travail in prayer for them

"Now when Jesus approached and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, If you had only known on this day, even you, the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. Luke 19:41-44 (NET)

For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and surround you and close in on you from every side. They will demolish you you and your children within your walls Luke 19:41-44 (NET)

and they will not leave within you one stone on top of another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God." Luke 19:41-44 (NET)

Compassion opens up the eyes of the heart to discern providential opportunity that may get overlooked by mere sympathy.

In Christ's parable a levite and a priest, both religious people, despite 'seeing' the injured man, passed by indifferently. Where others may see only moral obligation, complications and risk, compassion discerns opportunities for service - even sacrificially.

Christ's compassion is an impulse strong enough to dispel fear.

"But a Samaritan who was traveling came to where the injured man was, and when he saw him, he felt compassion for him. He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. Luke 10:33-34 (NET)

Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him." Luke 10:33-34 (NET)

The LORD's compassion moved Him to work miracles. Compassion is the catalyst for the manifestation of the power of God into the desperate brokenness and profound need of teeming humanity.

"When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Matthew 14:14 (NIV)

Compassion gives one the capacity for grace, i.e. the ability to discern spiritual need, placing it ahead of the subject's obvious moral failure. Compassion provides one with power to lavish immediate and complete forgiveness (mercy), grace and acceptance upon the thoroughly undeserving.

"So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. Luke 15:20 (NASB)

Compassion has its origin in the love of God, and it's release through a relationship with and the Holy Spirit: "... the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:5 (MEV)

However, according to the New English Translation (NET), the literal Greek rendition of the phrase 'the love of God' should more accurately be rendered "the love that comes from God and that produces our love for God has been poured out within our hearts by the Holy Spirit..."

It is the power of God's love that makes authentic love from our hearts possible. God's love towards us teaches and enables us to love. And the Holy Spirit is intimately responsible for, and involved with, this process.

Jesus illustrated this important truth powerfully:

"... and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, Mark 8:22-25 (NIV)

"Do you see anything?" He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." Once more Jesus put his hands on the man s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly." Mark 8:22-25 (NIV)

There comes a time, after Christ has been invited to restore our spiritual sight, that He has need to do it again.

Sometimes we are limited in our ability to see what Christ sees, even after He has touched our eyes. Sometimes Christ has to lead us to a place where He can impart grace to our spirit senses once again.

Sometimes we need to see people as the Father's creatures, elevated above, and entirely outside the arena of the natural order.

Sometimes our hearts need to receive Christ's healing touch empowering it to see and understand something of the reason why God could view collective mankind not as a nameless, faceless mass but rather as an assembly of unique, valued individuals.

if black was white, and white was black - would you still hold racial prejudice against people? colour is just a space of mind. Stop racial discrimination

objectification - negative value judgement based on perceived personal benefit / usefulness

stereotyping unthinking evaluations based on negative assumptions extended to apply equally to an entire group

supremacy withheld deference respect and esteem due a superior or an elder

discrimination every human is a moral being. no one is excluded from Christ's 'golden rule'

as GK Chesterton wrote: 'Trees have no dogmas and turnips are singularly broad-minded. In terms of ideology, serious people should aspire to be more than a tree or a turnip.'

president Barack Obama said: "What is required is a new declaration of independence, not just in our nation, but in our own lives from ideology and small thinking, prejudice and bigotry."

In other words, if you have an ideology, you belong amongst the bigots and the mentally confused.

The American Progressives created a philosophical school viz Pragmatism - which as a matter of principle rejected philosophical principles.

William James, the most important founder of Pragmatism argued that we should measure ideas not by whether they are right or wrong, but by whether they work. Ideas are right if they have cash value, according to James.

The universal lament of pragmatist/liberals are: 'Why can t we move beyond these partisan labels... this philosophical divide and get to the hard work of dealing with the problems we're facing?

Warning: People only say these things when they want you to shut up and get with their program.

What you never hear them say is: We need to move beyond these partisan labels, we need to get beyond the philosophical divide and for that reason I m going to abandon all of my principles and agree with you.

Therefore it's only when the Spirit of Christ is invited to open up our otherwise 'blind eyes' to give it sight, that the human heart is set at liberty to feel the pulsating throb of the Father's heart.

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free," Luke 4:18 (NIV) emphasis mine

Compassion happens when God makes the eyes of the hearts see; to see the need and pain of others and to see the horror of sin and wickedness - whence the pain and need comes and by which it is perpetuated.

There are five demonic strategies for the perpetuation of evil temptation seduction deception delusion 'veiling' (blinding) or enshrouding

the greatest love of all - the love of Christ, the Truth. Compassion resides only where a foundational 'love of the truth' has been firmly established.

"The coming [of the lawless one, the antichrist] is through the activity and working of Satan and will be attended by great power and with all sorts of... miracles and signs and delusive marvels... lying wonders 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11 (AMP & NKJV)

And by unlimited seduction to evil and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing... because they did not receive the love of the Truth... but refused to love it that they might be saved. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11 (AMP & NKJV)

Therefore God sends upon them a misleading influence, a working of error and a strong delusion to make them believe what is false." 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11 (AMP & NKJV)

Compassion wages war in the Spirit for the supernatural unveiling - of individuals "our gospel is veiled... to those... whose minds the god of this age has blinded... II Corinthians 4:3-4 (NKJV)

and cultural groups "And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. Isaiah 25:7 (ESV)

Israel is a classic example of how these veils have the power to obscure and conceal vital truths from the human heart and mind:

'We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. 2 Corinthians 3:13-18 (NIV) emphasis mine

It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:13-18 (NIV) emphasis mine

And we... with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord s glory, are being transformed into his image with everincreasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.' 2 Corinthians 3:13-18 (NIV) emphasis mine

Cultural veils ultimately have the power to frustrate God's original design for us to be perfectly conformed to the imago Dei.

Compassion is the divinely imparted ability to perceive something of the sacred image of God the Father in every person.

Thus compassion honors God's absolutes before sentiment: We're called to "speak the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15)

Scripture contains and represents absolute truth. Love means speaking the truth with unassertive grace, patience, kindness and humility. Being willing to receive the contribution of the other person knowing that the Holy Spirit is able to convict of sin.

"Love endures long and is patient and kind... is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily... It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail." 1 Corinthians 13:4, 6 (AMP)

Love flows from the Cross and leads us back to it. Therefore compassion is forever drawn to the pain of injustice. It makes a choice to take passionate responsibility for the manifest, over the ideal reality.